Broke and Brutal
by Jay-loot
Summary: What happens when Jazmine Dubois, the much loved mulatto in Woodcrest, gets knocked off her feet in the middle class, and is forced to stay with her best friend Huey for the time being. If things go right, she'll have nothing to worry about, and will be back to normal in a jiffy. But, what if things don't go right?
1. Chapter 1

Huey moved his foot slightly, courtesy of the mulatto mindlessly resting her's on top of it. He was indeed one for personal space, and frowned a bit as he shifted. Jazmine noticed this, then blushed. She was always unintentionally invading his area.

The afro headed boy sat calmly, quietly advancing in his current activity. He was writing out Jazmine's resume, helping her. For some reason, the poor girl was having a rather hard time managing her money, and paying bills and rent. So, she was forced out of her old apartment, not being able to pay the landlord at his designated deadlines. A _prick,_ Jazmine would call him.

Fortunately though, she had her best friend. He suggested that she stay at his house until she could get back on her feet, for as long as it could possibly take. But in the meantime, he wasn't just going to let her sit around and sulk about her problems like he knew she would. "Now, you say you have experience in ballet?" he said, casting his maroon eyes to look up at her.

Jazmine nodded. "I've been dancing since-"

"Since you were ten, right," Huey finished, already looking back to the paper to scribble this down under 'Potential Hobbies'. He sighed then, scratching his head. Jazmine had already had a job as a ballet teacher, but apparently she quit for not getting paid enough. It was a risky move on her part.

Huey was quiet for a second, thinking. The girl might just have to start from square one again, and work her way up in the middle class. "Alright, we'll work on it," he said dismissively, gathering up the papers. It was late, after all.

Jazmine sighed. She stood up from the kitchen table, yawning lightly as she shuffled away. She had only been staying with the Freeman boy for two days, but felt as if it were her home to begin with. Huey watched her walk away, her fluffy slippers dragging across the floor. She looked tired, worn out even. He couldn't help but feel a little sympathy for her situation.

"You know, if you'd like, we could try and set up some future goals for you," he called after her, a slightly concerned look on his face.

"I guess Huey..there's no use in trying anyway…"Jazmine mumbled nonchalantly, the once preppy note in her voice no were to be traced. The light frown Huey carried deepened a little, his sharp eyebrows fusing in defeat. He could see the stress eating away at her, though she seemed to have given up already. If only he could lift the weights on her shoulders, and show her that everything was going to be alright. Well, hopefully. But to the pessimistic boy, hope was a ration.

Now settled in her rightful place, which happened to be the in the guest bedroom of Huey's home, she humbled. The decent-sized room was comforting, the walls a light shade of brown, making her feel a little peaceful. The flowing curtains were black, slightly pulled to the sides of the window. Jazmine cuddled underneath the bed covers, layering herself in warmth, and sighing a little. She was jobless and broke, barely having enough money to even pay for gas during the day. It was pathetic, having to rely on her best friend.

She would have stayed with her parents, but they been moved a couple of years ago, one of her mother's ideas to get out of humble-little-Woodcrest. She still speaks with them over the phone, but she dare not bother them with her petty problems. On the other hand, she was grateful. She couldn't thank Huey enough for being there for her, picking up her slack while she was inconvenienced. It was kind of him.

Huey also silently retreated to his bedroom, his mind lingering on the girl that was only two doors down the hall. He felt as if he were guiding a lost puppy down a long road to nowhere, but he was determined to figure this whole thing out. Of course Jazmine wasn't staying forever, but to actually go places, you have to start somewhere right? He yawned, dismissing the thought for the night. There was no need stressing over it.

Huey trudged into his room, his sock covered feet seeming to interfere with the carpet as they always do. His room was a neutral color, the walls a mellow mint green, while the curtains were a rich cocoa brown. He had a few family pictures hung here and there, but not many decorations or antiques about the room, content with it being simple.

You could say it almost reflected his life. Simple.

He was a reoccurring novelist and a part-time writer for movie scripts and plays, so yeah, he had his work cut out for him. The young man spent most of his days writing, never really seeming to find a stopping point. To be quite honest, people loved his work, creating him a fan-base and whatnot. It wasn't something he expected, but his confidence sure went through the roof. So now, he just does what he loves. Put his ideas out for the world to see.

On the other hand, his younger brother Riley has surprised him. The younger Freeman sells artwork, and has somehow developed the free hand to animate his cartoons. He is the producer of a handful of cartoon shows, which probably many ages could pick out on the streets, and he's happy. The thuggish boy dropped his ignorant ways, and started listening to his older brother, realizing that he actually needed to do something with his life to get somewhere.

He has lots and fans, and he's satisfied with the never-ending pocket of money he earns from his work. It's thrilling, knowing that he has a talent, and was able to make a living out of it. Riley lives in a rather large condo not too far from his brother's own home. Some might say it's too big, and others may describe it as too flashy, but that's just Riley. He has a lady friend, who often visits with him during non-working hours to hangout and just be with him. Anyone could recognize her as Cindy McPhearson.

Cindy has also cleaned up her attitude a bit, but still carries that thuggish aura. She works as a humorous talk show host on B.E.T., claiming the title as "Blackest White Girl on TV", which she had proudly accepted. She interviews celebrities and other upcoming stars, making her widely known on and off the B.E.T. Network. It fits her, since she's white, so white people know her too.

The blond lives in a mansion, much bigger than the homes of Huey and Riley, impressing herself even. She lives alone though, never really having the time for a relationship. So, of course she hangs with Riley when she has the time. That's her homie, after all.

You can say the once thriving troublemakers of Woodcrest have finally settled, no longer raising hell and stirring up chaos. The town's owner, Ed Wuncler, died not too long ago, and now the town's riches have been passed down to his grandson, Ed Wuncler III. It was a big shock to everyone, but people quickly got over it since no one really liked the old guy all that much anyway. As for Ed the III, he's still his crazy no-good self, often running the streets with his long-time friend Rummy, never really indulging in his inherited money.

And somehow, we come back around to 23-year-old Jazmine, the loved mulatto of it all. How long could she see herself staying with Huey, her long-time friend sense age ten? Who's to say what will come of her? Only God himself would know. But together, we'll find out.

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><p>AN: So how was that? Hope it was your cup of tea! Lemme know, it helps! Like what I did with them? Nothing too shabby, but it's getting there. Thanks for reading, I'll be sure to update.


	2. Chapter 2

Jazmine woke to the smell of bacon, wrinkling her nose in confusion. _Since when could Huey cook? _She climbed out of bed lazily, the covers now tossed about, and slipped on her slippers. The familiar heaviness of her head was present, courtesy of her mess of bouncy curls. She shuffled out of the guest room, rubbing her eyes sleepily as she made her way to the kitchen to see what all the commotion was about.

"Oh hey there cutie pie, good morning!" she heard a familiar voice greet cheerily. She widened her eyes at the sight of Robert, Huey and Riley's beloved granddad. It was surprising to see him at such an early time in the morning.

"Um, hello Mr. Freeman. Good morning to you too," she greeted back. Her emerald eyes shifted to see Huey quietly sitting at the kitchen table, reading the daily paper as he normally did. He seemed quiet calm.

"Take a seat sweetheart, breakfast will be done shortly," Robert continued. "Hope you like french toast!"

Jazmine did as she was told, silently taking a seat in front of Huey. As if just noticing her presence, he looked up to meet her eyes. She raised her eyebrows at him, trying to ask why his granddad was there. Huey only shrugged.

Then, there was a loud yawn from the living room, startling Jazmine a bit. She leaned in her seat, straining to see who it came from, raising her eyebrows even higher at the sight. A 21-year-old Riley laid sprawled out on the couch, looking sleepy and exhausted.

Jazmine the slowly turned her eyes back to the afro-headed boy in front of her, who remained expressionless. Though he wasn't showing it, she wondered if he was just as surprised as she was. She watched him absentmindedly lick his index finger and thumb, then turn the newspaper page, something she's seen him done many times before.

"Alrighty then..this bacon should be done now," Granddad said, already moving to take the crispy strips out of the frying pan. The amount of excess grease in the pan made Jazmine a little woozy, and she rested a hand on her stomach in nausea. Mr. Freeman had always been a big fan of his grease.

On the other hand, the younger Freeman boy on the couch brightened up at this, and made his way to the table in a matter of seconds. Huey set down his paper then, standing to get himself something to drink. Granddad set a plate of toast in the middle of the table, along with a dish of butter and a jar of grape jelly. Jazmine watched Riley take a slice of toast and a butter knife, spreading a glob of jelly on his toast.

Huey came and sat back down, a fresh glass of orange juice in his hand, picking his paper back up. From where Jazmine sat, she could almost make out the 'Hiring' section of the paper, slightly interested. "May I see that-"she started, but was interrupted by the loud crunch of Riley taking a bite out of his toast.

Granddad cut his eyes at the younger boy lecturing, "Boy, it don't take _all_ that to eat some damn toast!" This seemed to make the 21-year-old grin, wiping away a few stray crumbs. "My bad," he said sweetly, continuing to chew.

Jazmine was shocked at this, her mouth slightly ajar. She expected the cornrowed thug to say some smart remark of respond with a string of his own profanity, but, he did neither of these expected things, simply apologized. It was…_new._

The mulatto then felt a light kick under the table, turning her head to see Huey looking at her. She raised her eyebrows in response, and he nodded to the plate of toast that sat before her. Clearly he wanted her to eat something. Her cheeks warmed at his concern.

Granddad then set down a platter of bacon, freshly made French toast, scrambled eggs, syrup, and a jug of juice. Jazmine scanned all of it with sudden hungry eyes, the previous woozy feeling gone as she reached for a strip of bacon. Huey only watched, looking satisfied when she took her first bite. Then his wine eyes ran over the mess of food, looking a bit disgusted and uneasy. He much rather just have a simply bowl of cereal in the morning.

Granddad had took a step back, leaning against the kitchen counter. The smile on his face traveled to his old eyes as he watched the three before him. He remembered when they were only the ages of ten and eight, _such_ a long time ago. It was refreshing for the old man to see them all grown up, mature now, sharing a causal breakfast with one another.

He had visited to just see his oldest grandson, whom he hadn't seen in quite a while. He also found it hard to believe when Huey told him Jazmine was staying over for a bit, which he chose to come see for himself. And there she was, nibbling on a piece of bacon. He always knew Huey and the cutie pie were going to grow to be quite close in the future.

His eyes shifted ro his younger grandson, looking quite amused. It was nice to see how greatly he had matured from his old eight-year-old self. Yes, the boy still had his little Chigaco accent, but the words were a bit more sophisticated now. Just a bit.

Jazmine on the other hand has surprised him quite much. She had grown into a beautiful girl, still carrying those vibrant puffs on either side of her head, with the exeption of a more filled out figure, courtesy of puberty.

And then there was Huey, who just happened to _still _be Huey. He still had those piercing wine eyes and sharp eyebrows. His afro was still big and poofy, just as it had always been. He had gotten much taller too, the same with Riley. And on top of all of that, he was still his outspoken and calm self. Just our beloved Huey.

It had been a while as they gradually consumed their breakfast, with the exeption of Huey and his plain bowl of cereal. Riley looked full and satisfied, and Jazmine looked miserable from her overly full stomach.

It wasn't until Riley and Granddad were gone when Huey spoke to her for the fisrt time that morning. "You wanna just relax today?" he offered, going to sit on the living room couch with a book in his hand.

Jazmine's ears perked up, clearly surprised. "Just relax? No job hunting in the newspaper or updating resumes or-"

"Nope."

"Nothing? At all?"

"_No_ Jazmine." He turned a page of his book calmly. She smiled at this, happy to just relax with her friend for the day. It seemed like something they both needed. Huey noticed her walk to the shelves in the corner, searching the movie titles for anything good.

"Ugh, you sure have a big collection of Star Wars don'tcha Huey?" Jazmine groaned, shaking her head in disapproval at the movie shelf. Huey rolled his eyes in response. He happened to love Star Wars…nothing wrong with that, _right?_

"Malcol X…blah blah blah Rosa Parks Story..blah blah blah…uhhh how 'bout we just play a board game instead?" she said.

Huey shrugged, clearly not interested. "Fine, I guess." To tell you the truth, he couldn't remember the last time he even played a board game. "I think I have some in the hallway closet."

Jazmine looked, coming back with Connect Four, the easiest game that she knew she was good at. The boy also had Chess, but, she didn't feel like making herself look stupid in front of the smartest person she knew. _Nope, not today. _

"This'll do," Jazmine chirped, setting the game down on the table in front of Huey, moving to sit on her knees. She then started to take the lid off, also gesturing for Huey to sit down with her on the carpeted floor. He sighed, reluctantly sitting after giving her the evil eye. She smiled, setting the game up as he waited. "You know how to play, right?" she asked, starting to get a little arrogant with her game face on.

"No, Jazmine. I don't know how to play the easiest game in the history to all mankind," Huey stated boringly, sarcasm drenching his town as he gave her an annoyed look. He never did like stupid questions. "But, I'm quite good at Chess."

Jazmine's eyebrows twitch in annoyance, giving him a dirty look. He always knew how to push her buttons with his usual witty self. Maybe she should dedicate the day to pushing his buttons for a change. Step One: Win Game.

She separated the red pieces from the yellows, pre-deciding that she would be the yellows, before giving the reds to Huey. The stand was set, and now ready for the first move in the game. "Go," Jazmine said, her eyes determined.

Huey gave her a look, wondering why she was being so pushy, before dropping his red piece in a slot to the left. It clicked against the bottom, seeming to echo between the two of them in the quiet room.

Jazmine immediately made her move, dropping her piece of top of his, blocking him from even trying to make a column out of it. She smirked when she noticed his eyebrow twitch a little. Huey then dropped his next piece next to the fizzled column, seeming to want to start the process over. But, only to no avail. The threatening mulatto blocked this move also, leaving him feel dumb. He sighed to himself.

Motivated, she dropped her next piece on top of the previous one, now having two in the column. Two more and she'd win. It was amusing to see Huey actually struggle with something so simple, such as Connect Four.

After contemplating over it, Huey placed a piece on the far side of the board, now interfering with Jazmine's skills set this time. To no surprise thought, she blocked his move again, starting to irritate the Freeman a bit. The mulatto happily watched her opponent think over his next move, his maroon eyes scanning and rescanning the board. It was funny how he was treating the thing as if it were potential rocket science.

He dropped another piece, this time above Jazmine's previous yellow piece, red on top pf yellow. It didn't seem to rattle her, because she soon made a move of her own, adding another yellow to the other two she made previously. Huey was quick to block this, starting to catch on a bit faster.

The two best friends just kept at it, going back and forth, soon the whole board filling with red and yellow game pieces. It was almost nerve-racking how quick it went by. They each didn't have anymore pieces, now sitting with a game with no winner.

What a disappointment.

Jazmine's plan to win was fizzled, leaving her equal to her smart opponent, who also seemed a bit unsatisfied for there to be no winner, But, it was clear if they were to have a rematch, the would most likely come out with the same outcome.

They say there silently, each staring the other down with a severe fierceness, emeralds dancing within the wine. Who knew the game would've gotten that competitive in a matter of minutes, especially with Huey's disinterest in the beginning. The game was for ages six and up, making the situation even more ridiculous.

"Chess?" Huey asked, his voice a little husky with determination. Jazmine kept her stance.

"Uno," she countered.

"Uno?"

"Scared?"

"Not a bit."

"I beg to differ, _Freeman._"

"Really now?"

"Honestly."

Even more glaring. "Game _on._"


End file.
